Comic Book Quick Reviews - 8/29
Huge week, HUGE!!! SPOILER WARNING!!
Aquaman #12 (DC Comics)
Well things are getting really exciting in this issue! My only gripe is that this story-line won’t wrap up until two more months…which will kill some of the excitement from this issue. Anyways Manta has never been so dangerous to the point that Arthur wants to kill him after Manta takes out Volstok. Also Johns hints at more secrets from Arthur…that I bet will come back to bite him down the line.
Like always the art is amazing from Reis as we get the brutality from Manta’s attack as well a convening the sadness, rage and mistrust from all these characters towards each other.
Before Watchmen: Minutemen #3 (DC Comics)
Another great issue from Darwin Cooke (whom is both on art and writing duties) that focused mostly on Hollis and Silhouette and their “relationship” as well as looking at the morals of some of their members. I think it was great to open after the whole Eddie attacking Sally affair (shown on Watchmen) and continue the theme of morality from their members from there.
Is interesting to see how Hollis and Silhouette partnership grows, considering what we know about her and Hollis saying to us since last issue that he has some sort of crush on her. Like always the art is great and I love how Cooke was using awesome layouts to give even more feeling to the story as well as drawn parallels at many scenes. Is just a shame that this book is not monthly at all…
Green Lantern Annual #1 (DC Comics)
Well this issue was INSANE! Johns not only ends the Black Hand story-line but also starts and sets up the “Third Army” mini-event all while tying it together nicely. The Guardians pretty much have fallen even more since they are willing to kill their own kind and thanks to the unique power of their Third Army even end free will for everyone.
Now the question is if Hal and Sinestro are actually dead or just trapped…somewhere and also what role is the First Lantern going to play in all this (aside from being the conduit to create the Third Army) and his story with the Guardians. Van Sciver art was a welcome sight for this issue that has such a huge stakes and importance for the Green Lantern Universe.
Justice League #12 (DC Comics)
Well this is the big one, or at least was made so by the media hype as the “HUGE RELATIONSHIP” isn’t shown until the very end and is just the beginning of something. Anyways this one ends the whole Graves story-line that aside from seeing how this team is interacting and dealing with the pressure from pretty much everyone was a letdown.
And it was really in the interactions between the characters and the whole problem that the League has image-wise that was the strong part in this book. Not only we have them starting to doubt how much help they are doing but also we have Hal quitting them team!! And at the very end Johns sets up next year year of stories with his famous teasers….which was great as we see Shazam, a hint at a traitor and a team expansion as well as Atlantis attacking (and Aquaman’s loyalties tested).
The Flash Annual #1 (DC Comics)
What was expected to be a war between Flash and the Rogues ended up giving us sooooo much info on many of the involved that it really surprised me in a good way. After issues saying they are different, we find out that Doctor Elias betrayed Flash by giving powers to the Rogues (which left them with side-effects as well as mistrusts among them). I love how the majority of this book was a look into the Rogues and their issues (mostly from Glider and Cold points of view).
Cold despite helping Flash first ends up betraying him and setting the fact that the Rogues are back together and stronger than ever….just to face the invasion of Gorilla Grodd and his army!!! Like always the art is gorgeous… although this time Marcus To lend a hand to Manapul.
Wolverine & The X-Men #15 (Marvel Comics)
Well this issue felt less of an AvX-tie and more of the regular Wolverine & The X-Men issues. We get the Avengers (although we only see Iron Man and Iron Fist) crashing at the school while planning their next move (ohh and this takes place after AvX #10). While in the background we see many characters dealing with the many changes going around (like Utopia younger mutants arriving to the school, departures, new relationships and promotions).
It was really a nice issue as we go away from the “OMG” feelings that has been plaguing the other AvX books. The art was great and well unlike many others, the art team took care of showing the different ages of the characters in a great way..considering many of them are students and thus teenagers.
